Night vision binoculars

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Oct 20, 2000
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I have often wondered about this type of binos. Obviously, they are only suitable in dark conditions.

Apart from its practicality in security situations, I am trying to figure out what other uses it provides.

Anyway, are night vision binos expensive?
 
They're fun for watching wildlife at night.

Sailors use them on ships to watch for smaller craft and for objects floating in the water.

The radars used on many larger ships can't pick out small objects in the swells. A lot of stupid sailboaters don't have good lights because they don't have enough electrical power to run them (or they've got them off deliberately because they're running old gen 1 night vision themselves). They put their sails down at night, and then they just disappear into the swells. There are many cases where big ships have hit such small sailboats and not even realize it. The first indication they get may be an EPIRB (emergency position-indicating radio beacon) receiver. By the time they figure out that it's not one of their own EPIRBs going off by accident, they're knots away. And for smaller ships, yachts, etc., hitting a small sailboat can be life-threatening.

But it's not just sailboats. The ocean is full of all sorts of stuff. I crewed on a yacht coming up the west coast once and we shot three cargo containers floating in the ocean (we shoot 'em so they'll sink faster). Cargo containers are not unheard of. Logs and other stuff are common. Again, any one can send a small ship to the botttom. Even large ships need to watch out since a log or container or something can dammage a prop or rudder.

With Gen 3, you can spot crab pots in the water. Crab pots are supposed to be out by sunset, but every now and then some operator forgets one. There's a fouled prop waiting to happen. Those things are like land mines in the water.

And, of course, in a man-over-board situation at night, night vision could be a lifesaver.
 
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